The mass use of tractors in Argentina only began when those machines were locally produced in the 1950s –without the importation costs, these machines were much more affordable; plus there were local tractor versions that had been specially designed for the standard Argentinean field. The first imported tractors were powered by steam engines. The application of these kind of engines to tractors was revolutionary for the need of a controlled use of power was very much important in these kind of locomotives. John Deere was one of the main providers to Argentina of these machines. Soon after this invention took off, tractors suffered some alterations, such as the replacement of steam engines for diesel or kerosene ones. Some of the main international manufacturers provided the Argentine market at that time. But it wasn’t till mid 1940s when Argentina took the autoindustry in its hands. The folk story tells that Perón, who had established a love-hate relationship with the United States had broken up all commercial tides, and while Argentina stoped selling them some of the most important prime materials the US bought, they wouldn’t sell one manufactured item to the country. One of the most famous frases at that time was “If the US wants to paint their houses with our line oil they’ll have to bring their houses down to Argentina…”the reply of some of the most liberal sectors in our country was –regarding the importance of our importation of toilet paper manufactured in the US- “so, when we want to go to the toilette we might as well travel all the way up to the States for some toilette paper?”. No house came to Argentina, and no one traveled that much for some toilette paper, but the impact of this closure was huge. In 1948, Perón inaugurated the IAME –mechanical industry company owned and run by the Argentinean state- with the aim of producing tractors in the country. A very large group of experts began took over the titanic task of creating from scraps a mechanical industry. The first move this group made was a survey on what local farmers preferred on this matter. The most voted answer was the German Lanz Bulldog, produced in Mannheim, for it had a simple motor that could be easily fixed if there was any trouble, it only needed heating before use, and this could be done using lamps powered by a kerosene pump, hence there was no need of electrical power… Plus this tractor’s motor could be worked with alternative combustibles –at that time Diesel fuels were very expensive and rare to find in the country- such as a mix of kerosene and used oil, or even regular oil and animal fat. It served it purpose in the fields and it was very cheap to maintain. And its power was enough to remove the old steam boilers for thrashing line and wheat machines. The inspiration came from the Lanz German tractor. Many units of this machine were brought to the country and mechanics and technicians began to work on a “national model” tractor with a two time motor with only one cylinder of 55HP, that could traction a four plowshare of 14 inches. The result was a local very cheap version christen as the Pampa. There were 3500 Pampas made in the country from 1952 to 1963. At the same time, some other companies began to settle down in the country to locally produce tractors, for it was economically more profitable than exporting them and there was an unexploded market anxiously demanding these products. Fiat Conrad was one of the first ones to come to Argentina in 1954. Later on came John Deere in 1958. Two of the most important ones at the time, adapting many of their models to the local market as well as offering their standard ones to the Argentine market. The move was a success. For more information: mailto:admin@frassinetti.com Press here to go back to web blog:Daily Updates on Art, Antiques, Collectibles as well as travel information for Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone me thru Skype, ID: Bob Frassinetti or you can also chat with me thru Yahoo, press here: Yahoo Contact Find me on MySpace and be my friend! Bob Frassinetti. Copyright 2005. Roberto Dario Frassinetti.

Lanz Bulldog German Traktor Found in Argentina. First a bit of information ... Lanz Tractors in Argentina: Bulldog and Pampa The origin of Lanz tractors can be traced to the early 1920s. These German tractors were made in the plant in Manheim in Germany until approximately 1960, where the majority of the models had single cylinder, horizontal, two-stroke engines. LANZ In Germany, Lanz produced Bulldog tractors including the Model T crawler and the L, N and P wheeled models offering 15, 23 and 45bhp respectively. Back in the early days, Lanz was synonym of efficiency and low cost strong machines. This made them special within the international market for it was the best ally to start off agricultural businesses. This unique feature made of Lanz tractors a world wide trademark, exporting their models in and around the globe. Lanz came to Argentina through means of importing the finished product the same way they did in other Latin American countries such as Uruguay, Brazil, etc. These greatly appreciated tractors had bee manufactured at Mannheim Germany from the mid 1930's until the Second World War. At that point more than 100,000 Bulldog tractors had been produced when the factory was virtually destroyed by bombing in the early part of the Second World War. After a struggle to re-establish production after the war it was the late 1940's before the 06 series of tractors reappeared in 1956 John Deere took over the company and the old Lanz factory is now their European manufacturing base. The history of Lanz tractors in Argentina is all in all richer, for these famous German Field machines were the base inspiration for Argentina’s single most interesting made Tractor: PAMPA. Made during the second presidency of Juan Domingo Peron, the State Industry Company IAME, altered the German Bulldog Lanz to make it the Argentine way. The traditional blue color in these tractors was changed for a bright orange. Changing the type of gas supply which in Germany was Diesel oil for a cheaper fuel available in Argentina which was a mix of kerosene and used oil or even animal fat, the Pampa was a really inexpensive productive tractor. There were only 3500 Pampa tractors made in Argentina. Bob Frassinetti: For more information: Email: Bob Frassinetti. Press here to go back to web blog:Daily Updates on Art, Antiques, Collectibles as well as travel information for Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone me thru Skype, ID: Bob Frassinetti or you can also chat with me thru Yahoo, press here: Yahoo Contact Find me on MySpace

Argentina's toys alike our real life tractors are unique. For its avant-garde position within the Latin American concert all rural related industry has been in Argentina very powerful. Those magnificent toys -as all toys which are a reflection of real life- represented the local unique tractor versions as much as the traditional standard international models. During the boom of the argentine toys' industry in the 50s most of the tractor toys were made in tin and plastic, for its market was mainly the lower classes in the fields and small cities. Psychologists and Sociologists have proven right the theory which expresses the importance of toys related to the environment children are growing in. Their learning and social qualities have had, throughout history, a profound impact in our development as social beings. Therefore the massiveness of tractor toys made out of cheap materials was a logic turn for the Argentine toy industry. These low quality mass produced items were very popular up till the 70s when all sorts of new and improved toys entered the mass consumption market. All the same, it was back in the 60s when an Argentinean toy pioneer designed what would become the diamond of Argentine tractor toys: the Buby Fiat 700s CONCORD. This rare example was manufactured by the Buby company on request of the Argentinean firm Fiat Concord. This outstanding scale reproduction of the company's tractor was brilliantly achieved. Such was the quality of the item that Fiat Concord "socially presented" the model at one of the firm's most important commercial events. This was Buby's chance to enter the rural-industrial field with its wonderful items. But due to the company's negative to Buby's intention of using that casting to produce its rural line, this was the first and last attempt for a tractor collection. That's why when collectors find its 1038 reference number on commercial lists they cannot get hold of the item. For this was a very small production item not massively commercialized. Therefore, no doubt about it, to own one of these rare and beautiful Buby examples is the top of the top for any tractor/farm toys' collector. On the other hand, talking about rare tractor toys there's Sigomec line. This firm shows a broader list of tractors. All of which could be found anywhere in the Argentine field. This are tin and plastic items, quite a bit larger than the Buby diecast, but all the same very interesting and valuable to the collector who knows. Among the many important examples, Sigomec delighted its audience with an extraordinary example of the locally produced Tractor Pampa. This toy trend is still very powerful in our country. Such is the importance that John Deere has launched its own toy tractors-field equipment line. Big scale reproductions of their machinery. The excellence within the quality of these items is unquestionable, alike their real size machines. following the company slogan "I would never sell something in which I didn't put the best of me". For these are just some examples of what, without a doubt, is an amazing facet of the Argentine toy industry, and because there's so little information about other rare and not so rare toys, at the moment I'm working on a research project to recover these amazing models from the dark. The key is in the way toys and their history perfectly complement each other. At the same time, I find of great interest the new turn within the Argentine tractor production. These are incredible and unique examples of an industry that's growing together with its consumers, and it's adapting its products to the regional market's needs. And before we blink there's going to be a toy tractor new line (such as the John Deere one) expressing this turn. When that happens I'll be there to witness it and tell you about it. Email: The Buenos Aires Toy Museum,Bob Frassinetti. The Buenos Aires Toy Museum,Argentina. Bob Frassinetti. Copyright 2005. Updated 2009. Roberto Dario Frassinetti.